POWER-GEN International has awarded Spring Valley Wind facility in Ely, Nevada Wind Project of the Year Award. Owned by Pattern Energy Group, the 151.8 MW project is the first wind project on public land and also the first wind project in the state of Nevada. “We are honored that Spring Valley has received the prestigious Wind Project of the Year Award; …
SEIA Releases Solar Training Materials
Solar Energy International has released a series of textbooks and online training materials for use around the world for technical renewable energy training and workforce development. The Solar Energy International Textbook Series will be released throughout 2013. Kathy Swartz, Interim Executive Director for SEI said, “When SEI was selected by the Department of Energy to be part of the Solar …
SolarX Energy Unveils Hybrid Solar Energy System
SolarX Energy has launched the SolarX Hybrid – a solar system that combines thermal (hot water) production output of over 100,000 btus per day with electrical power production of up to 1.0 kilowatt per day. The system combines the company’s SolarX-164 parabolic solar thermal collector with peripherally mounted photovoltaic (PV) panels. The stand-along system can be scaled to fit project needs …
ecoSolargy Secures $150M for Project Financing
ecoSolargy Inc. has raised $150 million through private equity investors for its 2013 financing program. Led by the company’s utility project development division, the program’s goal is to finance utility-scale solar projects in various stages of development. “ecoSolargy’s commitment to clean energy expands beyond the provision of high-quality solar products and the development of strategic and installation solutions,” said Alan H. …
First Long Span R5 Canopy Completed
Solaire Generation has completed of its first Long Span R5 canopy, a solution specifically designed for new and existing parking garages. The 684 kWp installation, is at the New England headquarters of an undisclosed Fortune 100 company. According to the company, features of the canopy include Solaire’s Max Rack Water Management System and Max Rack Snow Guard, that provide protection …
Franklin County Wind Farm Powering Local Community
Here is a story about a new wind farm that is just a stone’s throw away. The Franklin County Wind farm, a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Corporation, has begun operations in Franklin County, Iowa. Consisting of 60 wind turbines, the farm is capable of producing nearly 100 megawatts of wind energy – enough to power close to 25,000 homes. “We …
San Diego Zoo Goes Solar
The San Diego Zoo has gone solar. It’s Solar-to-EV-project, in partnership with Smart City San Diego, is run by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDGR&E). The solar system is comprised of Kyocera Solar photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. All Kyocera solar panels used in this project were manufactured in the U.S. at the company’s San Diego facility. “Kyocera is celebrating 41 years …
Book Review – Who Turned Out the Lights?
Should we be entertained when reading about America’s energy crisis? Dare we be regaled by clever cliches, fun word pairings and sarcasm when learning our basic Energy 101 facts? Yes to infinity. And I experienced just these things when reading “Who Turned Out the Lights?” by Scott Bittle and Jean Johnson. Reading this book was a guilty pleasure because I enjoyed the …
Should We Shush Wind Turbines?
Scientists in Australia are studying where wind turbine noise comes from and how it might be reduced. Not a new concern, researchers from the University of Adelaide in the Flow and Noise Group at the School of Mechanical Engineering are building a scale-model turbine in a wind tunnel. They are also building an acoustic test room around the turbine. In …
Solar Exceeding Performance Expectations
According to SunPower Systems, who has solar systems operating at 25 California Water Agencies, their power systems have exceeded expectations for overall performance. The company estimates that the systems have saved the state’s public agencies a cumulative total of approximately $5.3 million over the past 12 months. SunPower has designed and built nearly 25 megawatts of solar power systems at …